1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article of manufacture intended for use as a multi-compartment container. More specifically, as a device containing up to three pourable materials in separate compartments from which eacy may be charged and discharged therefrom by the use of a common means acting either as a charging funnel or as a discharging spout.
The present invention enables the user to handily portage in one device three chemical substances which previously were transported in seperate containers. Particularly useful to users of household laundry cleaning chemicals such as detergent, bleach and fabric softener. Each chemical as a pourable substance in a powdered or granular solid, liquid or slurry form. By the use of the present invention, the user can bulk purchase said necessary chemical cleaning agents for laundering and fill the device at, for instance, home, with only the required quantities of chemicals necessary for the anticipated wash load number and size before utelizing them at, for instance, a self-service commercial laundry. The present invention makes the portaging, measuring and dispensing of such chemicals handy with a minimum of fuss and leakage.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Previously multi-compartment containers and means of dispensing have been disclosed before. In the Patent literature, Class 222 Sub-Class 142.9 includes numerous inventions wherein seperate compartment containers are described somewhate similar to the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,307 shows a multiple container package with a means to select a radially oriented compartment by the use of a cover disc rotatable around a common axis with various orafice configurations differentiating a pouring or shaking means of dispensing which varies the volume and type of flow desired. However, a major disassembly of the cap and cover disc may be performed in order to fill or re-fill the invention. The present invention uses a means of filling and discharging much differently, namely, the fact that disassembly of any of the components is not required to either charge or discharge the device and the same apertures function in both the discharging and charging mode.